This invention generally relates to an automatic consist management system and, in particular, a system and method for independently controlling each locomotive of a consist in order to optimize one or more operations of the locomotives.
In a current locomotive consist, the locomotive controls are linked together and are controlled in response to operator input provided to the master or lead locomotive. In general, locomotives operate in a discrete number of power modes, usually eight. These power modes are referred to as “notches” and the notch at which a particular lead locomotive is set will determine the speed of operation of the consist. In the current locomotive consist, an operator can only command all locomotives in the consist to run in the same notch. For example, in a three unit consist, when the operator moves the throttle to notch 6 in the lead unit, the same notch 6 command will be sent to the locomotive controllers of the other two units of the consist. This command is sent through a communication link, one example being a train line which is a 16 wire harness interconnecting the locomotives of the consist. Alternatively, a railroad wireless communication system such as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,280, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, may be used to communicate between the lead unit and the remote units of a consist.
Although this system and method of operation of the consist provides simplicity, there is a need for a system which independently operates each of the locomotives so that the performance of the consist can be optimized.